Donaghadee rescue teams were called into action twice on Thursday, as the assisted both a French and German yacht that had run into difficulties.
The French vessel was the first to require assistance, shortly before midday, after running aground on rocks at Ballyferris point.
The French sailor, the only man aboard the yacht, had been on his way to Bangor from Arklow and called via radio for help.
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A tow was initially attempted, but with the tide being too low and no danger posed to the yacht or sailor, the Donaghadee Lifeboat returned a few hours later.
Eventually the yacht was able to free itself and a volunteer was able to get aboard and steer it to Bangor Marine where it could be fully assessed for damage.
After setting off from Bangor Harbour shortly before 6pm, the team was again alerted to a yacht in difficulty, this time a German vessel struggling to make headway through Donaghadee Sound.
The couple onboard had lost the use of their main engine and had radioed to say they were starting to suffer from exhaustion against a strong tide and a drop in the wind.
A crew responded and were able to get a tow line to the stricken couple, with the yacht taken to Bangor Marina.
Philip McNamara, Donaghadee Lifeboat Coxswain said it had been a busy week for their volunteers with three callouts in total.
"As always, I commend the crew as they are a credit to the station with their dedication and ability to turn up and get the boat to sea at the drop of a hat," he said.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the owner of the local rib who assisted us with the French yacht, it is much appreciated.
"Even the most experienced sailors can run into difficulty or suffer from fatigue, and it is a positive thing to recognise when you need assistance and ask for it as early as possible – so well done to both yacht owners in their professionalism.
"We do always recommend that before going to sea you have a working means of communicating with the Coastguard, carry lifejackets and safety equipment, lots of advice can be found on the RNLI website."
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